The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-22
MEMPHIs DAILY APPEAL.-sUNDAY. May %, 1ss7

piONAOus POiANAS"A NalSSis III "a let
ter written three years ago Gov
Smith thus describes his first cleo
ton as Governor Of the Old Domin.
ion: Everything was going well with
me, when in December, 1915, hayinl
lust returned from one Of my courts
| was addressed by one of my friend.
as Gov. Smith. | asked him what
he meant by thus addressing me. He
said that / was the Governor elect
of Virginia. | replied | trusted il
was not so, but so it proved. The
Legislature at that time elected our
Governor, and, without having the
idea suggested to me by a human
being, | found myself elected Gov
ernor Tor three years from the LIST OF
January, 1876. The salary was
wholly inadequate to support the
proper Inequalities OF the position.
| had no private fortune to sup
ply the deficiency, and public
opinion would not allow the
Governor to practice his profess
sion. l wrote to my friends that
they bad placed me in cruel diem
ma; that | wanted bread and they
gave me a stone; that | should have
to decline the high position TO which
they had elected me. There was no
helpt for it. But did accept, served
ont my term and returned to my
home" In April, 1850, Gov. Smith
sailed for California, and on reaching
San Francisco announced himself
ready for legal practice. He was,
without previous notice to him or So
licitation on his part, made president
of the first Democratic State conven-
ton held in the new State. David
Broderick, afterward United States
Senator from California, became ieal-
Gus of Mr.. Smiths influence in the
party. The quarrel resulted in a
duel between Broderick and James
Caleb Smith, a son of the Governor,
who had preceded his father in emf
grating to the new Eldorado. Ittook
place at Sacramento, and was wit
messed by 5000 people, Gov.
Smith being one of the spec
tators. According to the rules
of the code each was to sur
render all articles from his pockets.
Broderick, drawing his watch from
his fob pocket offered to surrender
that if Smith so desired, but Smith
intimating that it was i'm ma terial,
Broderick restored it to his fob.
Smith put four balls through Brod-
erick's watch and cut the chain with
another. Smith was untouched and
Broderick uninjured. The watch
was hung up in a public place in
Sacramento. Gov. Smith returned
to Virginia in the autumn of 1852.
In March, 1853, be was elected to
Congress, and served four successive
terms. In June, 1861, he was COM
missioned colonel of the Forty-sev-
enth Virginia Confederate Volun-
teers, and was soon after elected
from his camp a member of the Con-
federate Congress, in which he
serves one session, resigning in May,
1862, to return to his military com
mand, being soon after promoted as
brigadier and major general. In
1863 he was elected by the people
Governor for term OF four years,
from January l, 1864. Since
the war he has served one
term in the State House
Of Delegates for special purpose.
MIR. Smith was given the prefix "Ex-
ira Billy" while he was a mail CON
tractor between Washington city and.
Ga, an enterprise be-
ginning in 1881, in which he amassed
a snug fortune. In 1884 a noted at
tack was made upon the administra-
ton of W. L. Barry, then Postmaster
General. la the rapid development
Of the postal facilities Of the South
ern country, the expenditures of the
department. we're largely increased.
la the Blue Book, or Official Regis
.er of the United States Government,
jhe salaries or compensation OF its
officers or contractors compensation,
or instance, of additional service Or
Tered to be performed, is indicated
ly au asterisk. Every extra allow
lnce beyond the stipulations of the
original contract was thus designat-
I'd. AS the route of Mr.. Smith was
me of rapid development, his entries
II service were abundantly thus
marked. The circumstance was
loted in debate by United
States Senator Benjamin Watkins
Leigh, from Virginia, who, without
Ealing the name of Mr.. Smith, yet
fixed upon him the lifelong
obriquet of Extra Billy" Two
ons and a daughter survive Gov.
smith. The elder son, Col. Thomas
smith, is United States District At |
orney for New Mexico. Capt. Fred
rick Smith, the other son, is a
citizen of Arizona Terri |
DRY. William Smith, his eldest
on, was, while serving as a mid
hipman in the United States navy,
ost 10 the Indian ocean. Another
on, Col. Austin Smith, was killed
a the battle Of Seven Pines. A
lster, Mrs. Maria johnson, the wife
t the chaplain of Hampton's bri-
ade, died in South Carolina last